Rich was coming home from a week in Rhode Island and, even tho’ his flight was due in a bit past seven, and so we wouldn’t be home until eight-ish, he likes to have a little sumpin’ sumpin’ for a nosh when he gets in. As it happened, veggies that needed dealing with, and thought, ‘za!
The cool thing about this is, you can get every thing done earlier in the day, then roll out the dough, add the toppings, and bake it when you’re ready – so at the end, you’re 15 minutes ’til dinner.
INGREDIENTS
Dough:
•3-1/2 cups flour + 1/2 cup, if needed
•1/2 cup whole wheat flour
•1 tsp seasoned salt
•1 tsp sea salt
•1/2 tsp Tellicherry pepper
•1-1/2 cup warm water (110º)
•2 tsp yeast
•1 tsp honey
•2 tbsp olive oil
Sloppy Joe:
•1 lb. ground beef
•1 cup ‘sup (or ketchup)
•1/2 cup BBQ sauce
•1/2 cup chili sauce
•Diced onion, tomato and jalpeño
•Red and yellow peppers, cut into strips
•1 tbsp Worcestershire
•1 tsp Earl’s
•1 tsp seasoned salt
‘Za:
•Onion, sliced thin
•Cheddar cheese
First, the dough:
Early in the day, combine the 3-1/2 cups of all purpose flour and the wheat flour together with the salts and pepper in a medium bowl.
Stir together the warm water, the honey, and the yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer and let it stand for 10 minutes – until the yeast is dissolved and the mixture foams. Add the olive oil and 3 cups of the flour mixture.
Using the dough hook, mix the dough on a low setting (my mixer called for setting 2 out of 12) for 2 minutes.
With the mixer still running, add the remaining flour mixture – one tablespoon at a time – until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to cling to the dough hook. Use the extra half cup of flour if you need to.
Increase the mixer speed to 3 and knead the dough for 4 minutes or so, until it is smooth and elastic.
Form the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil.
Turn the dough to oil all sides, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 to 4 hours, then punch down, recover, and let rest again for another hour.
Punch the dough down let rest for 10 minutes, then turn onto a lightly floured board and cut into halves. This is enough for two ‘zas! or, as I usually do it, one ‘za! and one flat bread. In any event, you can go ahead and make whatever, or pop the dough into lightly floured zipper bags and into the fridge until needed.
Now, for the Sloppy Joes:
Warm a skillet over medium high heat, then add the ground beef, seasoned salt, and fresh veggies. Sauté for about ten minutes, until any liquid has reduced and the meat is nicely done. If, as I was doing, you have any leftover roasted peppers or stuff you’d like to use up, add them now.
Add the ‘sup, barbecue, and chili sauces, Worcestershire, and Earl’s and heat through over medium heat until slightly thickened.
Now, you are good to go – anywhere! Your dough is stashed in a bag (or, still rising in the bowl – remember, YOU are the boss of that dough!), your sloppy joe sauce is made and can also be stashed until needed, safely covered in the fridge.
When you ARE ready, bring the dough to room temperature and heat your oven to 375º.
Roll out the dough on a board lightly coated with flour or (better) corn meal, then transfer to your ‘za! pan of choice – I love, Love, LOVE! my cast iron ‘za! pan. Brush 
the dough with a bit of olive oil, and you are now ready for your toppings.
I went with the Sloppy Joe sauce, a couple of onions, one yellow and one sweet, sliced thin, and some freshly shredded sharp cheddar and Colby cheese.
Pop this into your hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, and you have one, fine ‘za!
Rich kept his slices plain, but I added a bit of chopped kosher dill pickle and bright yellow mustard to mine and was most well pleased.